Children’s Dental Emergencies

If your child knocked out a tooth or if they are in pain, call our emergency children’s dentist on 9415 3555

Accidents involving dental emergencies are a fact of life, especially for active kids. However, should your child experience a dental injury, there are some steps you can take immediately to minimise discomfort and prevent further damage. Any child’s dental emergency such as an injury to the teeth or gums can potentially be serious and should not be ignored. Ignoring a dental problem can increase the risk of permanent damage as well as the need for more extensive and expensive treatment later on.

Toothache

If a child develops a toothache, contact us as soon as possible. If an infection is present this needs to be treated quickly so avoid any delay in making an appointment. For temporary relief, clean the area around the sore tooth thoroughly. Rinse the mouth vigorously with warm salt water or use dental floss to dislodge trapped food or debris. DO NOT place aspirin on the gum or on the aching tooth. If face is swollen, apply a cold compress.

If you discover a pimple-like swelling on your child’s gum that is painful, this may be an abscess. Abscesses are infections that occur around the root of a tooth or in the space between the teeth and gums. Abscesses can damage tissue and surrounding teeth. Contact us as soon as possible in this instance.

Baby Tooth Knocked Out

Rinse your child’s mouth with water. The best treatment is to spend time comforting your child. Call us and organise an appointment with our emergency children’s dentist. We will do a thorough exam to ensure no other injury has been sustained elsewhere to your child. Do not attempt to re-implant a baby tooth as this may damage the developing permanent tooth below.

If bleeding persists, fold and pack a clean gauze or cloth over the bleeding area. Have the child bite on gauze with pressure for 15 minutes. This may be repeated once; if bleeding does not stop, please contact us.

Knocked Out Adult Tooth

If a tooth is knocked out, remain calm and act quickly. The following steps should be taken:

Handle the tooth by the top (crown), not the root portion

You may rinse the tooth, but DO NOT clean or handle the tooth unnecessarily

Try to reinsert it in its socket. Have the child hold the tooth in place by biting on a clean gauze or cloth. If you cannot insert the tooth, transport the tooth in a cup containing milk or water

Call us immediately and/or head to the hospital. If you act quickly it’s possible to save the tooth

Points to remember:

Do not hold the tooth by the root surface

Do not scrape or rub the root surface

Do not let the tooth dry out

Do not put the tooth in ice

Avoid rinsing or storing the tooth in water for more than one or two seconds

Do not remove any tissue or gum fragments from the tooth

To help prevent against broken or knocked out teeth always ensure your child is fitted with a custom made mouthguard when participating or training in contact sports

Broken, Chipped, or Fractured Tooth

If your child has chipped or broken a piece off of a tooth, rinse his/her mouth with warm water. Try to locate and save the tooth fragment that broke off. Call us immediately.

If your child has a very loose tooth, it should be removed to avoid being swallowed or inhaled.

Cut or Bitten Tongue, Lip or Cheek

For any injuries that result in bleeding, apply firm but gentle pressure directly to the injured area with a clean cloth or gauze. This will help to control the bleeding. However, if bleeding does not stop within about 15 minutes, take your child to the hospital emergency room. To minimise swelling, you can apply ice or cold compresses to your child’s face at the site of the injury.

Possible Broken Jaw

If a fractured jaw is suspected, try to keep the jaws from moving by using a towel, tie, or handkerchief, then take the child to the nearest hospital emergency room.

Broken Braces or Retainers

If you have braces and a broken wire causing pain or irritation, cover the loose end with wax, a small cotton ball, piece of gauze or chewing gum and get to the orthodontist as soon as possible. If your child’s orthodontic retainer becomes broken or bent and does not fit properly, do not wear it again until it has been repaired or adjusted by your orthodontist.